SJR 3: Apply to Congress: Constitutional Convention for certain purposes

As Introduced

136th General Assembly Regular Session 2025-2026

S. J. R. No. 3

Senators Reynolds, Lang Cosponsor: Senator Reineke

A J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

Application to the Congress of the United States for a 1
Convention of the States under Article V of the 2
Constitution of the United States that is limited to 3
proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on 4
the federal government, limit the power and 5
jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the 6
terms of office for its officials and Members of 7
Congress. 8

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

WHEREAS, The Founders of the Constitution of the United 9
States empowered State Legislators to be guardians of liberty 10
against excessive use of power by the federal government; and 11
WHEREAS, The federal government has created a crushing 12
national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and 13
WHEREAS, The federal government has ceased to operate 14
under a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United 15
States; and 16
WHEREAS, The federal government has invaded the legitimate 17
roles of the States through the manipulative process of federal 18
mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent; and 19

S. J. R. No. 3 As Introduced

WHEREAS, It is the solemn duty of the States to protect 20
the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations to 21
come, by proposing Amendments to the Constitution of the United 22
States through a Convention of the States under Article V to 23
place clear restraints on these and related abuses of power; now 24
therefore be it 25
RESOLVED, The Ohio General Assembly hereby applies to 26
Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution 27
of the United States, for the calling of a Convention of the 28
States limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal 29
restraints on the federal government, limit the power and 30
jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of 31
office for its officials and Members of Congress of the United 32
States; and be it further 33
RESOLVED, This application constitutes a continuing 34
application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of 35
the United States until the legislatures of at least two-thirds 36
of the several States have made applications on the same 37
subject; and be it further 38
RESOLVED, The Ohio General Assembly adopts this resolution 39
expressly subject to reservations, understandings, and 40
declarations, including: 41
An application to the Congress of the United States to 42
call a Convention of the States to propose amendments to the 43
Constitution of the United States pursuant to Article V of the 44
Constitution of the United States confers no power to the 45
Congress other than the power to call such a Convention; 46
The power of the Congress of the United States to exercise 47
this ministerial duty consists solely of the authority to name a 48
reasonable time and place for the initial meeting of a 49

S. J. R. No. 3 Page 3 As Introduced

Convention; 50
The Congress of the United States shall perform its 51
ministerial duty of calling a Convention of the States for 52
proposing amendments only upon the receipt of applications for a 53
Convention of the States for the substantially same purpose as 54
this application from two-thirds of the legislatures of the 55
several States; 56
The Congress of the United States does not have the power 57
or authority to determine any rules for the governing of a 58
Convention of the States for proposing amendments called 59
pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States; 60
The Congress of the United States does not have the power 61
to set the number of delegates to be sent by any State to such a 62
Convention, nor does it have the power to name delegates to such 63
a Convention; 64
The power to name delegates remains exclusively within the 65
authority of the legislatures of the several States; 66
By definition, a Convention of the States means that the 67
States shall vote on the basis of one state, one vote; 68
A Convention of the States for proposing amendments to the 69
Constitution of the United States convened pursuant to this 70
application shall be limited to consideration of the topics 71
specified herein and no other; 72
This application is made with the express understanding 73
that an amendment that in any way seeks to amend, modify, or 74
repeal any provision of the Bill of Rights shall not be 75
authorized for consideration at any stage; 76
This application shall be void ab initio if ever used at 77

S. J. R. No. 3 As Introduced

any stage to consider any change to any provision of the Bill of 78
Rights; 79
Pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United 80
States, the Congress of the United States may determine whether 81
proposed amendments shall be ratified by the legislatures of the 82
several States or by special state ratification conventions; 83
The Ohio General Assembly recommends that the Congress of 84
the United States select ratification by the legislatures of the 85
several States; 86
The Ohio General Assembly may provide further instructions 87
to its delegates and may recall its delegates at any time for a 88
breach of a duty or a violation of the instructions provided; 89
and be it further 90
RESOLVED, The Clerk of the Ohio Senate is hereby directed 91
to transmit duly authenticated copies of this application to the 92
President and Secretary of the United States Senate and to the 93
Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, 94
and to each member of the said Senate and House of 95
Representatives from this State; also to transmit duly 96
authenticated copies hereof to the presiding officers of each of 97
the legislative houses in the several States, requesting their 98
cooperation. 99